Darcy burning up the presses

With 44 Democratic challengers now having signed on to the Responsible Plan for ending the war in Iraq, the national media is beginning to pay attention not only to the Plan, but to the “infectiously energetic” force behind it: Darcy Burner. From today’s Washington Post, page A3:

Rejecting their party leaders’ assertions that economic troubles have become the top issue on voters’ minds, leaders of the coalition of 38 House and four Senate candidates pledged to make immediate withdrawal from Iraq the centerpiece of their campaigns.

“The people inside the Beltway don’t seem to get how big an issue this is,” said Darcy Burner, a repeat candidate who narrowly lost to Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) in 2006.

One criticism of Democrats in past elections is that they have railed against President Bush on Iraq without having a plan of their own. But 38 Democratic House challengers along with four Senate contenders have decided to run on a common platform outlining a strategy of withdrawal from Iraq.

[…] The plan was introduced about a week and a half ago, after six months of preparation. The plan combines existing legislation in Congress, packaged by Darcy Burner, a candidate for Washington’s eighth congressional district, with assistance from national security experts and retired generals.

At the plan’s unveiling, Burner–articulate, impressive and infectiously energetic–refused to be pessimistic. Despite the White House’s indifference, despite the war’s diminished presence on the front page, the people want the war to end.

“We can do this,” she said.

This fall, Rep. Dave Reichert will attempt to run as a Beltway outsider, fighting the entrenched D.C. establishment, while characterizing Darcy as just another Nancy Pelosi clone, blindly adhering to the Democratic party line. Don’t you believe it. Darcy is obviously not your typical politician — that’s what so endears her to the netroots, and that’s what’s beginning to endear her to the national press.

It is a logical fallacy to assume a message by what they did not say. After all, there is a nearly UNLIMITED number of things that were NOT said. What they DID say is that she was “articulate, impressive and infectiously energetic.”

Perhaps the real “subtext” here is that these are three attributes that Sheriff Hairspray LACKS.

But pretension demands ridicule, and that’s exactly what I see in The Darcy – pretension. Liberals may fawn over her all they want, but no law says I have to join them as they do half-gainers off the 10-meter platform into an empty pool on her behalf.

If you want to criticize someone for being mean-spirited, try those who mock John McCain’s war injuries and insinuate that he sold out fellow POWs. Or those who constantly belittle Rep. Dave Reichert for an entire laundry list of alleged malfeasences.

According to the HA Happy HooliHyenas, he can do no right and is original sin personified. Say what you will about him, at least he has the guts to stand up for something in which he believes even if it’s currently not the most popular thing in town.

To paraphrase Bogart, “Out of all the words in all the dictionaries in the world, she had to get described with only these!”

I’d have a whole lot more respect for her if she’d held some sort of either elective or appointed public office and had a track record of achievements and accomplishements to her credit. Still haven’t gotten the full story during her tenure as Prexy of the Ames Lake HOA. What’s she hiding? What did she not know, and when did she not know it?

Burner’s ALREADY doing more than Rep. Hairspray has accomplished in 3 1/2 years and she’s not even ELECTED yet.

Should she lose (certainly a remote possibility NOW), she…AGAIN…will have ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING. Show me the aggregate of Rep. Hairspray’s “accomplishments”, save sticking the bill for Pres. Dumbass’ security on the City of Medina.

Trolls @all: I propose we submit Darcy’s qualifications to the arbitration of an election. Of course, I don’t expect you to shut up after she wins in November. We certainly won’t! http://www.wwhd.org/images/crow-wire.jpg

For you to continue to speak and write as you do so that The Darcy can be tagged with you.

If you elect The Darcy, you elect Rujax’s kind of thinking, civility and language. Is that what you want representing you in the nation’s capitol? Is this the kind of talk the 8th CD encourages its elected officials to encourage and tolerate?

The point is that Darcy isn’t letting Dave Reichert define her at all. She’s putting her case directly before the people, and, to paraphrase Atrios: “The message that low information voters need to hear is that Democrats want to get out of Iraq, and Reichert and the Republicans want to stay there forever.”

Of course. But, apparently, you are not aware of how one ACTUALLY does that. There is no suggestion of damning Burner with faint praise in describing her as “articulate, impressive and infectiously energetic.” There is nothing “faint” about it. Furthermore, none of the context around that statement offered any sort of counter-insinuation.

The context suggests that they really meant that she was articulate, impressive and energetic. In my experience interacting with Ms. Burner, they hit the nail on the head. (And note that I am not damning her with “faint” praise, furthermore, I did not exhaust the positive attributes I would assign to her and make no implications by the omissions).

‘To paraphrase Bogart, “Out of all the words in all the dictionaries in the world, she had to get described with only these!”’

This is a silly paraphrasing…in Casablanca, Rick uttered the statement with a strong sense of irony, you dope!

“I’d have a whole lot more respect for her if she’d held some sort of either elective or appointed public office and had a track record of achievements and accomplishements to her credit.”

Bullshit. You would only respect her if she called herself a Republican. One reason I can say this is true is because Darcy Burner DOES have an impressive record of achievements. In fact, Burner achieved far more by the age of 18 than Reichert achieved by twice that age.

“Still haven’t gotten the full story during her tenure as Prexy of the Ames Lake HOA. What’s she hiding? What did she not know, and when did she not know it?”

Ahem, Mark, You should read up. Darcy is a netroots candidate. Nancy Pelosi is a mainstream Democrat who is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. So asking where Darcy differs from the netroots, first is a meaningless question, and second, would not tell you anything about how her outlook or policies differ from Nancy Pelosi’s.

So “The CrackPiper” can’t put down the “Pipe” long enough to detail the stellar accomplishments of the Good Sheriff. Hmmmmm…

Further..The Crackpiper doesn’t like Ol’ Rujax’ “demeanor” in the comments…fine. Ol’ Rujax happens to think The Crackpiper is a supercillious jerk. Ol’ Rujax is soooo sure The Crackpiper gives a shit not about what Ol’ Rujax thinks.

So Ol’ Rujax sez to the Ol’ Crackpiper..put up or shut up, my man.

Oh…and as for civility…Ol’ Rujax does just fine in polite company. Ol’ Rujax used to be QUITE the polite and respectful man at HorsesAss…until the fucking trolls with their christian religionist fakery and their pseudo-klownservative-libertarianism and their “dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks” governing philosphy made Ol’ Rujax see these cretins for what they are. Miseable failures who, having had it all their way for the last (pretty much) 26 years, have made a complete hash of things…drove the economy and the middle class and the International reputation and honor of this wonderful Nation into the ditch and are too goddam STUPID to see what they’ve done and how they’ve misled.

Sorry Pal…no respect for the nonsense you espouse. Your prollly an OK guy…but just shut the fuck up.

If Darcy Burner wasn’t presenting a credible challenge to Reichart, you can bet he wouldn’t be doing anything in Congress for the remainder of his term. As it is, I’m surprised we haven’t heard SOMETHING from him, other than having his book made into a cheezy made-for-TV movie. Perhaps he’s saving his accomplishments this term for a PR blitz this summer?

I remember last election, he trotted out a rather laughable proposal to address “gang encroachment into the suburbs”. His plan was to spend a few million dollars and several years conducting a study of the ten most dangerous street gangs in American, and then order the Justice Dept. to do something about them. No money allocated for investigations and prosecutions, you understand, just an order that they make some arrests and prosecute them. What makes it so laughable:

(1) You don’t need a multi-million-dollar study. Reichart could make his own list, with a couple of week’s efforts, by calling the anti-gang task forces in each of the major cities. They would tell him anything he needs to know. Or he could just go out on the street and ask a few cops, and get pretty much the same result.

(2) I can see the professional federal prosecutors rolling their eyes at that one, wondering what other “priorities” they are supposed to ignore in order to comply – anti-terrorism investigations, white-collar crime, traditional mob & racketeering activity, bank hold-ups?

(3) The proposal is tinged with racism, in that it carries the implication that our “safe” suburbs are being threatened by blacks & other ethnic-based gangs who will rob us & rape our daughters. Gangs apparantly don’t deserve federal attention, until they get into the suburbs?

(4) Why don’t we ask Sheriff Dave how well his proposal worked when he tested it when he was Sheriff of King County? Oh, wait, he didn’t.

Obviously, the whole “initiative” was designed as a campaign stunt, probably dreamed up in Karl Rove’s office. By creating a “crisis” and proposing a program which won’t really require any real funding until years later, it is designed to get some milage in the election, but everyone will have forgetten about it by the time the expected non-results would be apparant.

Which is not to say that there isn’t a gang problem, and that gangs are indeed appearing on what was previously “safe” suburban streets. But Reichart’s proposal wouldn’t have done anything about that problem, because any real solution would require real money, which isn’t achievable without abandoning the Bush tax cuts.

So… I’ll take Darcy’s plan as being a more realistic and achievable solution to a major problem, as compared with Reichart’s laughable efforts.

Trolls (including you, crackpiper): In light of the sheer incompetence and untrustworthiness of Republicans, as most recently demonstrated by the ammunition scandal, why should anyone elect any Republican to any office? I mean, really, since Republicans can do absolutely nothing right and have reduced every aspect of governance to a fucking 7th-grade joke, why shouldn’t every voter in America (including you, because that’s your tax dollars they’re wasting) vote a straight Democratic ticket in 2008? Be honest now, boys, what have Republicans done to earn a single vote? Their only accomplishment is to make a laughingstock of themselves, their party, and our country.

Well, no, of course not. That would be in bad taste. But what gets me is that this is the best he could come up with. Recession? War? Medical care? Education? Immigration? Nope. Shows how dim he really is, and how little he has been paying attention since 2004. What the FUCK has he been doing in Congress anyway? How about some homeland security, dipshit?

That’s my point exactly. She marches gooselock-step with the netroots Kool-Aid crowd.

NO one ideology is perfect — neither Left nor Right — and politicians “stray” from their party line to varying degrees (e.g. Obama and Clinton having slightly different “scores” on the liberal voting scale). The netroots are included here. Unless you’re arguing that she is the Karl Marx of the entire movement or that she is simply an automaton, there must be something in your manifesto with which she disagrees.

That’s my point exactly. She marches gooselock-step with the netroots Kool-Aid crowd.

NO one ideology is perfect — neither Left nor Right — and politicians “stray” from their party line to varying degrees (e.g. Obama and Clinton having slightly different “scores” on the liberal voting scale). The netroots are included here. Unless you’re arguing that she is the Karl Marx of the entire movement or that she is simply an automaton, there must be something in your manifesto with which she disagrees.”

This is all just slander. There is not even a reference to a fact here. Ad Hoc

Piper wrote, “Mean spirited? Please! I accord The Darcy the respect and deference due her accomplishments.”

Accomplishments are what it takes for you to respect people? Leaving aside that producing this document and creating this huge coalition of candidates is a significant accomplishment in itself, you showing yourself to be a veritable dick with your attitude. 58 and growing more crotchety every day.

Unless you’re arguing that she is the Karl Marx of the entire movement or that she is simply an automaton, there must be something in your manifesto with which she disagrees.

Really, Mark, pay attention. I don’t have a manifesto. The netroots don’t have a “manifesto,” we are just a bunch of people committed to growing a new ground-up version of the Democratic Party that will be less tied to corporate governenace and more responsive to the needs of ordinary Americans. I’d say most of us would like to see the US out of iraq, but not all of us agree about how that should be done. What we agree on is electing candidates who align with our commitment to growing a new ground-up version of the Democratic Party.

I think focusing on the war over the economy is a mistake. Making the war the central piece of your platform when only 16% of Americans nationally view it as their number 1 issue makes me nervous on chances that Darcy will win round 2 vs Reichert.

I’d have a whole lot more respect for her if she’d held some sort of either elective or appointed public office and had a track record of achievements and accomplishements to her credit. [Emphasis added.]

Ah yes. One gets promoted to a GPM at Microsoft by jumping up and down, waving pom-poms and yelling, “Go Team!”

Well, at least you now know why I have absolutely zero respect for you.

Crotchety??? Me??? Man, you do not know me at all! I am the least crotchety guy on the planet.

I am, however, not someone who is easily fooled by the gossamer gushing of a cobbled together compendium of warmed over uber-left failed legislative proposals and seething grievances that’s currently being marketed as the “Reprehensible Plan.”

The Darcy and The Plan are each getting their 15 minutes of fame, but neither seem to be getting picked up by actual decision makers in Washington, D.C.

That she has 44 Democratic challengers (where are the incumbents? Of ANY party?) means what? Political challengers will sign almost anything if it gets them free publicity. How many of the 44 are viable candidates and how many are sacrificial goats?

There’s nothing new or unique here. Just more warmed over mush from the netroots, not the 8th CD.

Maybe The Darcy could do better by promoting a little global warming to get rid of this damn April snow!

Dave Reichert has NOTHING to offer the 8th CD (my home) but warmed-over mush trying to capitalize ONCE AGIN on his “record” as Sheriff, exploiting the deaths of poor women, without ever a reference to his PISS-POOR record as a Congressman. No plans. No ideas. No policies. No power. No ideas. Not thought. No action.

That’s pretty sad for you. Are you in the “it’s snowing so there’s no global warming” camp of fools now? Mark talks about netroots “automatons;” are all of you Republicans so fucking lockstep that rejecting the undeniable evidence and overwhelming scientific consensus on global climate change is like accepting the dogma of the Trinity to a Catholic?

Yes, it snowed here. yes, it snowed in the Midwest. Global climate change means, among MANY other things, that we’re all going to experience “weird weather,” for lack of a better term, for some time to come as the climate seeks a new equilibrium.

Are you a complete idiot, or are you in complete denial? They are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Republicans are not just sadly ignorant of science, they are gladly and wilfully ignorant of science. Reality changes, and they refuse to accept the reality of reality. They are, by the clinical definition, psychotic.

psychosis (sī-kō’sĭs) Pronunciation Key Plural psychoses (sī-kō’sēz) A mental state caused by psychiatric or organic illness, characterized by a loss of contact with reality and an inability to think rationally. A psychotic person often behaves inappropriately and is incapable of normal social functioning.

BTW, in the paper edition of the WaPo, Darcy’s article was on page A3 – following coverage in The Nation and MSNBC.com yesterday. In other words, when you open the paper from the front page, its on the first page to your right. Niiiice placement.

Despite the disparagement in this site, the world coninues to take notice, the press has been tremendous, and we are continuing to gain momentum.

THIS is the guy you depend on to tell you about issues that regard global climate? A guy whose training tells him NOTHING about climate? And what about the thousands of climatologists who tell you different? You listen only to the guy who tells you what you want to hear? What a fucking Republican.

Singer is Professor Emeritus of environmental science at the University of Virginia.

How do you suppose that happened? Now I can’t speak to the veracity of this, but I think I read somewhere that nobody who has taken a doctorate before 1980 has a Phd. in Climate Science, because there weren’t any.

This is not even asking how the fuck you explain that Singer is the Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science if he doesn’t know anything about climatology.

No, I’m not being deliberately obtuse. Did you flunk fundamental logic? Climatology is a subset of environmental studies, which means, among other things, all climatologists are professors of environmental studies, but not all environmental studies professors are climatologists.

By the way, “emeritus” means that Singer is retired.

So, I take it that you don’t understand the difference between the opinion of a scientist and peer-reviewed science?

@78 “No, I’m not being deliberately obtuse. Did you flunk fundamental logic? Climatology is a subset of environmental studies, which means, among other things, all climatologists are professors of environmental studies, but not all environmental studies professors are climatologists.”

Really? Well thanks for clearing that up. I am, of course, far too ignorant to have known this for myself.

“By the way, “emeritus” means that Singer is retired.”

No shit? Well damn. I surely didn’t know that either.

“So, I take it that you don’t understand the difference between the opinion of a scientist and peer-reviewed science? ”

Take whatever you want. I’ve tried to be civil with you. You’d rather be adversarial. I don’t appreciate being patronized, nor condescended to. So peer review that, huh?

You’d rather be adversarial. I don’t appreciate being patronized, nor condescended to.

If you don’t appreciate being patronized or condescended to, then don’t bring such idiotic crap to the table as the argument you’ve pressed above. You’re smarter than that.

Seriously, if you actually do understand the difference between the opinion of a scientist and peer-reviewed science, then why, on earth, are you citing the former in order to counter to the latter?

Worse yet, you’ve tried to bolster the credentials of the former with one of the more ridiculous hand waves we’ve seen in quite a while. Climatology is not Singer’s field of expertise, and your attempt to pump up his credentials is so transparently idiotic as to defy adequate description.

One of the things that has screwed this country time and time again is when people like you allow their ideology to trump science. When the facts don’t conform to the ideology, then change the facts! Or go find some other “fact,” no matter how ridiculous, just so we don’t have to adjust our theory of how things are or are supposed to be.

Please Donate

I appreciate feeling appreciated. Also, money.

Currency:

Amount:

Can’t Bring Yourself to Type the Word “Ass”?

Eager to share our brilliant political commentary and blunt media criticism, but too genteel to link to horsesass.org? Well, good news, ladies: we also answer to HASeattle.com, because, you know, whatever. You're welcome!

Search HA

Follow Goldy

HA Commenting Policy

It may be hard to believe from the vile nature of the threads, but yes, we have a commenting policy. Comments containing libel, copyright violations, spam, blatant sock puppetry, and deliberate off-topic trolling are all strictly prohibited, and may be deleted on an entirely arbitrary, sporadic, and selective basis. And repeat offenders may be banned! This is my blog. Life isn’t fair.